Coffer-dam.



seras an sion.

NILS I?.y AMBURSEN, GF BROGKL'TE, MASSACESTS, VsSSItil'()R T0 HYDRALICCONSTRUCTIQN CGMPANY, 0E' BOSTON, MASSACHUSlli-TTSs A 00235.20-

RATION F NE'W JERSEY.

oornnnnm;

Specification et Lettersiaten't.

Application led- May-29, 1912, Serial No..700,31. 'Renewed April 3;1913; Serial. No. 758,713..V

To all whom t concern: l Be it known that I, Nine F. Aiinoizsnn, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline, in the countyof Norfolk and State-of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful 'Improvements in Coffer-Dams, of which the 'following is aspecitication.

This invention has special reference 'to coller-denis built on softlfoundations, such as gravel, sand, clay and other earthern niaterials;

The chief object ofthe invention is to increase the stability anddecrease-the cost and the time "required in building the dem,

' and at the saine time minimize the risks in building Cotter-dams inrelatively large rivers.

A further object is to ,construct a coer darnl without the delays,diiliculty and danger attending the use of scows or boats. y

A further object is to build a coiler-dam which can be removed quickly,to avoid obstruction of the river in case ot floods which may occurduring` the construction of aper- \maiient dam, bridge pier, or otherstructure within the area of acoer-dam;

A further Objectis to build a coller-dani of s'iiilicie'nt` stabilityand strength to withstand Water pressure and prevent collapse in case ofthe Water over-topping the darn.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceedtodescribed and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecificationf-Figure' represents a top plan view of a coder-damconstructed in accordance with rnyinvention. 2 represents a section online 22 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a section on line :3 3 of rig. e.

In constructing a complete coller-dam ernbodyine' my invention, when Ythe darn is three-sided, as shown by Fig. Land formed to inclose a spacebounded atonesideby the river bank or shore 12, I first/drive at thedownstream end A of the site of the dam, the commencement of two rows ofpiles eX- tending lengthwise of the dam, these rows comprising outer orniain pilesl, and inner or brace piles 14. After driving the first fourpiles I cap the tops of these piles with transverse beams 15, whichconnect the piles of the inner and outer rows in pairs. each beamconnecting a pile of the inner row with a pile of the outer row abreastof it. On tlie raten-tee eases., este.'

transverse beams 15 I place 4longitudinal l. track members, each'preferably 'comprising a beam 1G and an iron track rail 1?, the

track beams 1Gr being preferably detachably secured to the transversebeams 15 by any' suitable means. ,I then mount a pile-driver ontlie'track members, and niove the sameto position to drive succeedingpiles 13 and: 14,

these succeeding piles extending the lon'gi# tudiiial rows and being inturncappedbyfa transverse beam 15, after which` the track-is extendedand the pile-driver moved aliead to drive two more piles 13 and 14.Tlise operations are-repeated until the'piles 13 and 1li are driven tothe op-stream end of the dam, this bei'nggr` indicated bythe refer-`ence character B (Fig. 1).Y

The inner. sides of the piles`13. and 14-are provided with clamps orstrut abntments 19, 20, which engage inclined struts 2l extending' fromthe oiiterto the inner'pile'as shown by Fig. 2. To the outei'sides oftlie outer piles 13 are attachedA longitudinal stringe-rs 2Q, preferablyby Usliaped' boltsl 23, embracing the piles 13, as shown by Fig;

-3, and preferably secured by wedges 24. 'The Vstrin ;ers 22 form abacking for a .row of piling is preferably driven, starting at theup-streamend of the structure' at B; and' ending at the down-streamend'A. The cofter-'dani is now complete, ready r-tinWat-ering-itheinclosed space. When the-structure incloseflby the coller-dam iscompleted the coller-dani may be removed vby 'withdrawing the' sheetpiling and the piles, this operation commencing at the down-stream endA, and being carried on progressively tothe'iipstream end. Thematerialsv may be again vused for constructing vanother coter-dam inanother section of the river, 'or elsewhere. In case the water isrelatively deep, several piles may be driven 'in clusters and braced laccordingly to increasethe strength of the;

structure. The lstruts 21 are preferably applied after the sheetpilinghas been driven, one end of each strut bearing on the abut ment. 19 andthe other end o`n the abutment 20, the last-mentioned end beingpreferablyprovided with a clasp 26 composed ot a short length of chainattached to opposite sides of the strot and embracing the correspendinginner pile le, said clasp enabling piles are driven in sulicientlyshallow water,

the ahutments 20 may be formed by stringers attached to the piles 14after they are driven. The abutments 19, which arehigher than. theabutments 20, are preferably formed by stringere attached to th'c piles13 after said piles are driven and a'tter the struts 2l have been placedin position. The

ahutments 19 hear on the upper sides of the outer end portions of thestruts, while the abutments 20 bear on the under sides of the inner'end.portions of the struts. The inclined struts, engaged as above describedwith the abutments, cannot be displaced vertically in either direction,and do not require positive attachment to the piles, the ends of thestruts being preferably notched orrec'essed topreyent lateraldisplacement. The struts are, therefore, detachably' secured so thatthe-parts of the dam may be readily separated. The struts, the piles 13and 14, and the stringers l5 constitute rigid frames extending crosswiseotvthe dam, the resistance of; the frames to water pressure onv theouter side of the dam being much greater than would be the case if thestruts were parallel with the stringers.

I claim l. A coder dani comprising pilesdriven in substantially parallelinner and outer rows extending lengthwise of the dani, transverse beamsconnecting the piles of said rows in pairs, and' a continuousbarrier-attached to the outer row of piles, the pilesirst driven and,the beams supported there- I hy constituting vsupports for a track onwhich a pile-driverniay he mounted in pee sition to drive succeedingpiles.

now/,sia

track members supported hy said transverse beams and adapted to supporta pile-driver at diderent portions of the structure in position to driveadditional iles.

4. A coder dam .comprlsing piles driven 'in substantially parallel innerand outer rows extending lengthwise of the dam, transverse beamsconnecting the piles of said rows in airS inclined struts inter osed be,

tweenthe piles of the inner and outer rows, said piles being providedwith means for separably engaging the ends of the struts, and acontinuous barrier attached to the outer row ot piles. i

5. A coder dam comprising piles driven in substantiallyV parallel innerand outer rows extending lengthwise of the dam,

transverse beams connecting the piles of said rows in pairs, inclinedstruts interposed between the piles of the inner and puter rows, saidpiles beingprovided Awith abutments separably engaging the upper and:lower sides of the end portions of the struts, and a continuous barrierattached to the outer row of piles.

ln testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

s NILS F. AMBURSEN. Witnesses: y

C. F. BROWN, l. YV, Primaria.

